What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
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JAB
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What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints

Post by JAB » Wed Feb 08, 2023 7:29 am

I needed a set of drive shafts for my GPW and bought a bunch of unknown flatfender driveshafts at a swap meet. One turned out to be an F-marked GPW! Oddly, it was still attached to the drive flange...hmmmm. Well, it was removed whole, flange included, because it couldn't be disassembled. It was assembled with the Circlips installed in the pockets of the flange and driveshaft instead on on the edge of the cap where they go on other non-jeep applications. I hope the PO didn't have to try to replace that U-joint on the trail! Since there's no accomodation to remove Circlips in that pocket, and after exhausting all other practical options (small chisel, piano wire, small pliers, etc.) I tried something more novel, and less damaging than cutting an access space in the edge. I carefully built up weld (small MIG) material on the Circlip until the blob was big enough to grab with small pliers. It worked better than expected! Hopefully this will help someone else in a similar situation.
IMG_0972.jpg
-Jeff

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Re: What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints

Post by 70th Division » Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:20 am

JAB wrote:
Wed Feb 08, 2023 7:29 am
I needed a set of drive shafts for my GPW and bought a bunch of unknown flatfender driveshafts at a swap meet. One turned out to be an F-marked GPW! Oddly, it was still attached to the drive flange...hmmmm. Well, it was removed whole, flange included, because it couldn't be disassembled. It was assembled with the Circlips installed in the pockets of the flange and driveshaft instead on on the edge of the cap where they go on other non-jeep applications. I hope the PO didn't have to try to replace that U-joint on the trail! Since there's no accomodation to remove Circlips in that pocket, and after exhausting all other practical options (small chisel, piano wire, small pliers, etc.) I tried something more novel, and less damaging than cutting an access space in the edge. I carefully built up weld (small MIG) material on the Circlip until the blob was big enough to grab with small pliers. It worked better than expected! Hopefully this will help someone else in a similar situation.

IMG_0972.jpg
Nice work Jeff !!
Bubba get into everything it seems :shock: !!

Now it should be ready to rebuild properly :D .

Ray

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Re: What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints

Post by Wolfman » Thu Feb 09, 2023 4:57 am

I have run into this type of U-joint a lot over my years, Jeff.
The clips originally had tangs on the open ends of clip that turned into the center of the cap.
The plan was to grip the tangs with combination pliers, squeeze them together which would collapse the clip out of it's groove and the clip could be removed.
Enter age, rust & corrosion. The clip freezes in the groove and when the tangs are squeezed together, they break off. Leaving what you have in your picture. :twisted:
One thing I do before attempting to remove the clip, I lay the shaft or flange on something solid and use a round drift and hammer to drive the cap down into the flange. There is a little end play in the u-joint. This drives the cap into the flange a small bit and takes some side pressure off of the clip. Penetrating oil and a little patience and the clip comes loose.
In your case. too late. The tangs are already gone.
Getting creative like you did is the next step.
Nice job !!
And then there are the replacement u-joint assemblies that have clips with pointed tapers on the end of the clip you are suppose to be able to flip out with a small flat blade screwdriver. Maybe.
Mike Wolford
CJ-2A
VEP GPW
Comm./Inst. SEL
AOPA ( 50 yrs)
EAA ( 49 yrs)
4th Inf. Div. - 5th Inf. Div. - 2nd Armor Div. - CIB

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Re: What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints

Post by Adam » Thu Feb 09, 2023 6:11 am

I have had some u joints with those little c clips in the kits, dont know where they came from, never used them as the correct pieces are all over the place.

adam


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